IAFOR Journal of Education最新文献

Enriching Students’ Cross-Cultural and Multilingual Communication: The Serious Play Approach Utilizing Playmobil Pro Figures 丰富学生的跨文化和多语言交流：利用 Playmobil Pro 人物的严肃游戏方法

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.02

Eleni Meletiadou

{"title":"Enriching Students’ Cross-Cultural and Multilingual Communication: The Serious Play Approach Utilizing Playmobil Pro Figures","authors":"Eleni Meletiadou","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.02","url":null,"abstract":"Playmobil pro is an innovative modelling kit for adults that encourages creative thinking in the university/workplace. International multilingual students often disclose that they have little opportunity to develop their intercultural awareness, and cross-cultural and multilingual communicative competencies while engaging in meaningful activities that foster sustainable content and language learning. In the present study, 35 students were involved in two Playmobil pro workshops. They worked individually to present themselves to their peers, referring to their cultural background. They then worked in groups to explore intercultural differences among people working for organizations operating in the UK and another country of their choice and offer recommendations to help organizations avoid cross-cultural conflicts. The aim was to actively engage students to work on their final assignment and develop their intercultural awareness and cross-cultural communicative skills. This case study used a qualitative design and explored students’ attitudes by asking them to write a short anonymous report at the end of the implementation and provide anonymous feedback via Mentimeter after each workshop. The lecturer also kept notes in the form of a diary during this implementation. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data which revealed that Playmobil pro facilitated intercultural communication in the post-COVID-19 era as students seemed to be unwilling to work with their peers in face-to-face classes, possibly suffering from trauma. However, learners confessed that they needed more time, support, and artefacts to fully present their ideas and thoughts. Recommendations for the effective implementation of Playmobil pro with multilingual students will be offered.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141274442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Adoption of Innovative ELT Strategies by English Language Teachers in Rural Laos 老挝农村地区英语教师采用创新英语教学策略的情况

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.07

Esther Smidt, Linda Doeden

{"title":"Adoption of Innovative ELT Strategies by English Language Teachers in Rural Laos","authors":"Esther Smidt, Linda Doeden","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.07","url":null,"abstract":"This research project explored the factors affecting the adoption of an innovative and active English language teaching (ELT) strategy by Lao teachers. It also investigated why many teachers found it difficult to adopt the strategy and how an understanding of this difficulty resulted in the creation of an in-service teacher training program. Qualitative data were collected in two time ranges, the first in 2009-2013 obtained from 84 Lao English language teachers, and the second in Summer 2023 consisting of an audio interview with the first author which was an update on what had occurred 10 years after the original data collection. Findings from the first dataset indicated that teachers’ internal realities, specifically socio-economic standing, locus of control, self-efficacy, and problem-solving bent, mediated their responses to external realities, namely poverty and limitations in teacher training, student attainment, testing and resources, and the culture-infused school code. These internal and external realities functioned as barriers to the adoption of innovative ELT strategies. Applications of these findings resulted in the creation of a culturally relevant in-service teacher training program, one that incorporated an awareness of these internal and external realities. which then enabled Lao teachers to implement innovative ELT strategies. This paper aims to demonstrate what successful culturally relevant in-service teacher training looks like in rural Laos.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141229436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Intercultural Communication: The Perceptions of Lebanese High School Directors 跨文化交流：黎巴嫩高中校长的看法

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.05

Najwa Saba ‘Ayon, Farah Sabbah, Mira M. Alameddine

{"title":"Intercultural Communication: The Perceptions of Lebanese High School Directors","authors":"Najwa Saba ‘Ayon, Farah Sabbah, Mira M. Alameddine","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.05","url":null,"abstract":"Because intercultural communication has become one of the most demanded skills in the current digitalized world, many educational institutions aspire to graduate students who possess intercultural skills and are able to successfully communicate with people from diverse cultures. However, intercultural communication has not received much attention in the Lebanese context, especially in schools. To this end, this paper examines the Lebanese high school directors’ perceptions of intercultural communication. As pragmatists, the researchers employed quantitative and qualitative methods to better understand the problem under investigation. Using a snowball sampling, they surveyed the perceptions of 55 Lebanese directors in private and public high schools and interviewed two informants in the Center for Educational Research and Development. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Then, the derived conclusions were compared to ensure trustworthiness of the findings. Major findings showed that though intercultural communication is a learning outcome in most schools, it is mostly taught at the knowledge level in the foreign language classrooms. Assessment of this outcome is neither systematic nor consistent. It was also shown that directors in private schools tend to be more informed than those in the public sector. Recommendations are made for enhancing intercultural communication skills in Lebanese educational institutions.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141229035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Examining Students’ Perspectives on Pedagogical Translanguaging in the Multilingual Classroom Context 考察学生对多语种课堂背景下跨语言教学的看法

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.08

Soniya Antony, R. Ramnath, Adil Ellikkal

引用次数: 0

Connecting Student Interest and Motivation in English to the Sustainable Development Goals 将学生学习英语的兴趣和动力与可持续发展目标联系起来

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.10

Kira Adams, Sachiko Nakano

{"title":"Connecting Student Interest and Motivation in English to the Sustainable Development Goals","authors":"Kira Adams, Sachiko Nakano","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.10","url":null,"abstract":"English education in Japan has traditionally focused on grammar over communication, and the country has struggled to compete internationally in terms of English proficiency scores. As the country works toward the internationalization of higher education, improving English education is an important issue. One potential solution is the use of topics that elicit students’ interest and make them feel like part of the international community. This paper explores the use of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a topic due to their global importance and position, along with English, as a key to furthering the global citizenship of Japan’s youth. Because of the substantial number of SDGs, not all goals can be realistically addressed in a single course. Therefore, to find topics tailored to students’ interests in sustainability, this study examined the relationship between student interest in sustainability, International Posture (IP), and personal connection to SDGs. A survey was given to 266 first-year university students in general education English classes. A separate multiple regression analysis was conducted for the target variable, “Topic Interest” within English class for each goal, to determine how the effects and significance of variables differed for each SDG. Results showed that the IP subscale, “Intergroup Approach Tendency,” was significant for 14 and “Personal Value” was significant for 16 of the goals. For internationally minded students engaged in the study of English as a foreign language, the SDGs could be a useful motivational tool.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141276239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Adults’ Perceptions of Studying English in Face-to-Face, Online, and Blended Modalities 成人对面对面、在线和混合模式英语学习的看法

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.03

Tatiana Ginzburg, Daniela Daniela

{"title":"Adults’ Perceptions of Studying English in Face-to-Face, Online, and Blended Modalities","authors":"Tatiana Ginzburg, Daniela Daniela","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.03","url":null,"abstract":"Questions regarding the most effective teaching modality in foreign language instruction remain especially important for adult educators, since adult students have conflicting demands on their time and need to see the value of training. This research is centered around three cohorts of students taking courses of English of the same content and volume from the same provider. The students are university faculty and thus, of comparable demographics, and the courses were funded by the university. Over several years, and as the result of COVID-related restrictions, the courses were delivered in face-to-face (F2F), online, and blended modalities incorporating flipped classroom in the latter two. The aim of the research was to investigate the impact of a course modality on the perceived teaching effectiveness of a language course for adults. A quasi-experiment was used as a type of sequential mixed method. Relative perceived effectiveness of each modality was drawn from a combination of student evaluation of teaching (SET) and semi-structured interviews with former students who acted as both alumni and experts in education. SET comparison revealed no significant differences in results among the three modalities while interviews indicated a preference for the blended learning. At the same time, SETs of fee-paying students with comparable demographics taking similar courses at the same institution and analyzed previously showed a distinctive preference for a blended approach. That might be due to the differences in resources these two groups invested in studies: time vs time and money. The results imply that adult language educators have the flexibility to choose a modality while ensuring teaching effectiveness.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141280609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Using Screencast Video Feedback in the 21st Century EFL Writing Class 在 21 世纪英语写作课上使用屏幕广播视频反馈

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.09

Nato Pachuashvili

{"title":"Using Screencast Video Feedback in the 21st Century EFL Writing Class","authors":"Nato Pachuashvili","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.09","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.09","url":null,"abstract":"Giving feedback has always been the backbone of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing class. Written corrective feedback focuses on responding to students’ written work by extensively correcting their errors or offering constructive suggestions for improvements. The process of digitalization of education offered an alternative to teachers’ written feedback and opened up new opportunities to give video feedback to students. The latter has the potential of improving feedback provision through video capture tools, such as screencasts. The purpose of the research project was to investigate the effectiveness of using screencast video feedback on EFL writing and explore students’ perceptions of receiving video feedback for their written assignments. The mixed-method research was carried out with a group of 40 English language students in their academic writing class at a private university in Georgia. To investigate students’ perceptions, an online questionnaire was applied that focused on the benefits perceived by the students and technical issues faced during the process of video feedback. The qualitative data was obtained from semi-structured interviews in which the participants talked about the impact of the technology and their overall experience of using it. The findings of the study revealed that video feedback appeared to have been very interactive and supportive in the learning-to-write in a foreign language process. The participants also regarded video feedback as supportive, engaging, multimodal and easily comprehensible.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141274767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

EFL Learners’ Attributions and Causal Dimensionality Styles in the Chinese Higher Education Context 中国高等教育背景下 EFL 学习者的归因和因果维度风格

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.04

Ayse Taskiran, Hong Pan

{"title":"EFL Learners’ Attributions and Causal Dimensionality Styles in the Chinese Higher Education Context","authors":"Ayse Taskiran, Hong Pan","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.04","url":null,"abstract":"Achievement motivation is a significant contributor to the foreign language learning process. This study explored the achievement perceptions of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners who were studying at different higher education institutions with dissimilar degree programs, such as a vocational college, an undergraduate program in a public university, and Sino-American university undergraduate and graduate programs in China. The study also aimed to reveal EFLs’ causal attributions of success and their underlying dimensionality styles through an open-ended questionnaire and the Causal Attribution Dimensions Scale (CDSII) (McAuley et al., 1992). Findings revealed that two thirds of the participants perceived themselves as unsuccessful learners. Both in success and failure conditions the participants had similar attributions naming effort, interest, and ability as the most frequent ones. The attributions for close ended question did not show difference across school types. Qualitative data revealed more themes for failure, and the data showed some differences across the school types. Environment and relevance to life/career attributions were the most common in both success and failure conditions. Causal dimensionality analysis revealed more internal, personally controllable stable and moderately externally manageable attributional styles for success, and more internal and personally controllable attributional styles for failure. Findings were compared and discussed according to school types.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141277419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Language Attrition and Cultural Identity Dynamics in International Schools in Azerbaijan 阿塞拜疆国际学校中的语言损耗和文化认同动态

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.01

Rena Alasgarova, Heydar Aliyev, Jeyhun Rzayev

{"title":"Language Attrition and Cultural Identity Dynamics in International Schools in Azerbaijan","authors":"Rena Alasgarova, Heydar Aliyev, Jeyhun Rzayev","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.01","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates the relationship between language attrition, cultural identity, and sociocultural factors in four international schools in Azerbaijan. Two distinct student groups, one undergoing English education since preschool (Group 1) and another transitioning to English after primary school (Group 2), were examined to discern the connection between language attrition, cultural identity, and sociocultural factors. The research explored acculturation strategies concerning loss of proficiency in the first language(L1) and bicultural identity and formulated hypotheses to assess the connection between education level and language loss and the influence of attrition on cultural identity shift. Employing a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, the research utilized native language proficiency tests and e-surveys for quantitative analysis, while focus group interviews and thematic analysis investigated qualitative aspects. The e-survey uncovered factors influencing L1 attrition, with Group 1 exhibiting lower native language proficiency, suggesting an impact of second language (L2) exposure. Regression analysis revealed that language skills, English communication preferences, and thinking in English predicted lower proficiency in L1, while the duration of L2 exposure played a pivotal role in shaping cultural identity. Focus group interviews demonstrated a subtle narrative of cultural shift and assimilation within the international school context. The theoretical framework and thematic analysis provide a comprehensive understanding of the acculturation experiences of international school students, emphasizing the concept of culture attrition influenced by diverse factors.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141274654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Roles of Gender and Academic Discipline in English for Specific Purposes 性别和学科在特定用途英语中的作用

IAFOR Journal of Education Pub Date : 2024-06-01 DOI: 10.22492/ije.12.1.06

O. Lasekan

{"title":"Roles of Gender and Academic Discipline in English for Specific Purposes","authors":"O. Lasekan","doi":"10.22492/ije.12.1.06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22492/ije.12.1.06","url":null,"abstract":"Acknowledging the critical role of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in shaping professional and academic success across various fields, the research delves into the nuanced interplay between gender and academic discipline in shaping the ESP needs of higher education students. The investigation investigates the impact of gender and academic discipline on Chilean dentistry and business administration students’ perceived lack, want, and need for English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Drawing on sociocultural theory and self-determination theory, a mixed-methods model that involved data collected from 94 dentistry and 121 business administration students was adopted. Findings revealed significant gender differences: males reported greater perceived lack, whereas females exhibited higher want and need for English, suggesting gender influences ESP perception and necessitates customized learning strategies. Contrarily, academic discipline did not significantly affect ESP perceptions, challenging assumptions that ESP needs are strictly discipline-dependent and highlighting a generalized demand for English proficiency across fields. The findings demonstrate the importance of gender-sensitive and flexible ESP programs that cater to diverse learner needs while considering broader educational and individual factors. The study implies that educational practitioners should develop ESP curricula that not only address specific professional terminologies and situations but also reflect an understanding of the roles gender and discipline play in language learning. This approach could foster more effective and inclusive language education tailored to the varied aspirations and requirements of students in different fields.","PeriodicalId":52248,"journal":{"name":"IAFOR Journal of Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141276035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0